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–+ servings
healthy Meatball Ricotta Pizza

Meatball Ricotta Pizza

Course: Dinner, Main Dish
Cuisine: Game Day, Italian, Pizza
Recipe Type: 90/10 Kid Friendly, 90/10 Regular
Author: Heidi Boortz
Servings : 2 pizzas

Ingredients

Meatballs

  • 1/2 cup 100% Whole Grain Bread lightly packed, torn into small pieces
  • 1/4 cup yellow onion grated
  • 1/2 lb ground beef 90% lean or leaner
  • 1 egg
  • 1/2 Tbsp dried parsley
  • 1/2 Tbsp bottled minced garlic
  • 2 Tbsp parmesan cheese freshly grated
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp pepper
  • 1 1/2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Dough

  • 1 3/8 cups water tepid
  • 2 Tbsp honey
  • 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 4 cups 100% whole wheat flour
  • 1 1/2 tsp salt
  • 2 1/2 tsp yeast

Pizzas

  • 2 cups marinara
  • 2 cups mozzarella grated
  • 1 cup parmesan cheese grated
  • 8 oz ricotta cheese
  • 2 Tbsp fresh basil cut into ribbons, optional, for garnish

Instructions

Meatballs

  • Preheat oven to 350. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Mix all ingredients except olive oil, sauce, and cheese. Mix gently and only long enough to combine ingredients. Form into 12 small balls (they will be soft and fragile—handle with care.) Heat olive oil in a large skillet. Carefully add meatballs. Cook 2 minutes, then turn. Repeat until meatballs are browned on all sides. Arrange meatballs on prepared baking sheet.
  • Bake at 350 10-12 minutes or until meatballs are cooked through. Remove from oven.

Pizza Dough

  • Add liquids, then dry ingredients to the bowl of a stand mixer. (Take care not to let yeast and salt touch.)
  • Fit mixer with dough hook. Mix on low speed until dough ball forms and cleans the sides of the bowl. (2-5 minutes) (If dough ball is too sticky, add more flour, 1 T at a time. If it is too dry, add more water, 1 T. at a time.)
  • Divide dough in half. Roll dough out into 12-15 inch round. Repeat with second half.

Pizzas

  • Increase oven temperature to 400. Top each round with 1 cup marinara, 1 cup mozzarella, and 1/2 cup parmesan. Place 6 dollops of ricotta on each pizza, about an inch from the edge, going all the way around. Top each dollop of ricotta with one meatball. Drizzle meatballs with remaining sauce.
  • Bake at 400 for 10 minutes or until cheese is bubbly and beginning to brown. Remove from oven and top with basil, if desired.